In the Russian Federation, the economic mechanism of environmental protection has been approved and successfully operates , aimed at interacting with the state economy. In the article, we will consider what methods such a system applies, and how the level of pollution of the natural environment is controlled.
The relationship between economics and nature conservation
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the concept of the economic mechanism of environmental protection in Russia, as well as its structure, has been changed. Now the system includes both previously introduced norms (cadastres of natural resources, material and technical support), and developed modern economic incentives (creation of funds, collection of fees for the use of resources, introduction of environmental insurance).
The structure of the economic impact mechanism in the field of nature conservation, which is proposed by V.V. Petrov, includes the elements presented in the illustration below.
Every modern enterprise that uses natural resources is obliged to follow environmental requirements in assessing the effectiveness of economic decisions. So, environmental protection is mainly based on environmental payments, and a smaller share is occupied by economic sanctions or fines for violations in the field of environmental legislation.
The main objective of the economic mechanism in the use of natural resources is to create the conditions for fulfilling the goals of environmental policy through economic measures. For this, regulatory and legislative acts of the corresponding direction are introduced.
The role of Rosprirodnadzor
Rosprirodnadzor is a representative of the executive branch that operates at the federal level and performs the functions of supervisory control in the field of the use of natural resources.
The central office of Rosprirodnadzor includes eight Departments. For the effectiveness of control and the performance of its functions in each region, the Rosprirodnadzor Office has been created, which is responsible for the use of natural resources in a separate territory.
At the federal level, the service performs the following functions:
- Carries out environmental supervision.
- Organizes state supervision of strictly protected natural sites of federal significance, provides forest supervision.
- It exercises control over studies in the field of geology, as well as the protection and use of the bowels of the earth.
Among the responsibilities of the Department of Rosprirodnadzor can be identified:
- Consideration and adoption of standards and limits for waste.
- Conducting environmental assessments at the state level.
- Definition of standards for air pollution. The exception is radioactive components.
- Issuance of licenses for the collection, use, disposal and disposal of waste of hazard classes I-IV.
- Consideration and issuance of permits for the production of emissions that pollute the atmosphere. The exception is radioactive releases.
- Consideration and issuance of permits for the release of substances and microorganisms into objects of the aquatic environment.
Environmental Management Bodies in the Districts
In each federal district, a Department of Nature Management and Environmental Protection was created, controlled by Rosprirodnadzor.
Such entities are responsible for:
- protecting the human environment;
- prudent and careful use of natural resources;
- environmental safety of the region;
- development of environmental programs in the region;
- development of regulatory documents to improve the environment;
- environmental education of the region.
The department provides the following services:
- Issuance of permits for individual housing construction.
- Issuance of protective obligations or an additional agreement to them, which ensure the safety and careful use of the protected natural area.
- Cancellation and issuance of a hunting ticket.
- Issuance of permits for the discharge of microorganisms or harmful substances into the aquatic environment or atmosphere.
- Issuing licenses for the procurement, storage, processing and sale of scrap of any metals.
- Conducting an environmental review.
- Registration of permits for transplanting green spaces.
Methods of the economic mechanism
The mechanism of economic regulation of the use of natural resources is prescribed by the Law of the Russian Federation "On Environmental Protection" No. 7-FZ of January 10, 2002.
His methods include:
- Development of forecasts of social and economic development of the state in accordance with environmental forecasts.
- The development of economic development programs that are applied at the federal level, as well as targeted programs for individual state entities.
- Development of action plans and their implementation in order to clarify the need for measures to ensure the protection of nature.
- Charging for the use of natural resources and environmental damage.
- Calculation of limits for emissions of polluting elements and disposal of industrial waste.
- Conducting and issuing an opinion on the economic evaluation of natural objects, including those created with the help of man.
- Conducting an assessment of the impact of enterprises on the environment and the environment.
- The provision of benefits, including tax, in the case of the introduction of innovative technologies, alternative energy sources, the use of recycled materials, waste processing.
- Supporting innovative activities of enterprises in the field of environmental protection.
The development of measures and effective planning of actions to protect the environment is based on the forecasts of the state on socio-economic development. The federal and target programs of the regions are also taken into account.
Each business entity is obliged to carry out industrial environmental control. This set of procedures ensures the feasibility of environmental legislation, the implementation of certain actions that ensure the protection of nature and the rational use of its wealth.
Fee for pollution and environmental emissions
The economic mechanism of environmental protection implies the payment of tax for the negative impact on it in accordance with Order No. 632 of 08/28/1992.
The following types of negative impacts on nature are legally established:
- Emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
- The discharge of substances and microorganisms into the aquatic environment of the region.
- Soil pollution.
- Disposal, burial of waste, both industrial and after consumption.
- Noise, thermal, electromagnetic, ionizing and other physical pollution of the surrounding natural space.
The determination of the size of payments depends on the amount of pollutants and waste discharged. For some regions, coefficients may be set in addition to base rates that take into account the environmental features of such a locality.
Payment for negative environmental impacts is credited to the federal budget of the Russian Federation. Enterprises are required to pay tax once a year at the place of registration of the source of pollution. If the company has not paid the fee on time, then a penalty for environmental pollution will be applied to it. The penalty is calculated as 1/300 of the key rate of the Bank of the Russian Federation, which is fixed on the day it is paid. Penalty is accrued daily for each day of delay in tax payment.
Non-tax revenues to the budget
The federal legislative act “On Wastes” No. 89-F3 of June 24, 1987 defines the procedure for handling waste from consumption and production and is designed to prevent their harmful effects on the population. The economic mechanism of regulation and control over environmental protection involves the payment of environmental fees by enterprises. Rosprirodnadzor determines the form for calculating the amount of such payments. The procedure is described in detail in the Order of Rosprirodnadzor No. 488 of 08/22/2016.
The economic mechanism in the field of waste disposal of consumption and production involves stimulating the activities of enterprises by such methods:
- Providing tax and non-tax benefits in the case of the introduction of modern technology, which will reduce the amount of waste.
- Financial support of the state.
Support for financial entities
If the company timely contributes to pollution and payment for the use of natural resources, and also seeks to minimize the negative impact on nature, the state provides support in the form of benefits.
Legislatively established methods of stimulating an economic entity with the aim of environmental education. So, the economic mechanism in the field of environmental management includes the following elements:
- Organization of environmental management planning and nature conservation methods.
- Nature protection financing.
- Application of payments for the use of resources, pollution of the atmosphere and water bodies.
- Creation of extrabudgetary environmental funds.
- Implementation of environmental insurance.
- The provision of credit or tax benefits, as well as other incentive measures in the field relating to the protection of the natural environment.
- Conducting an environmental audit.
The creation of special funds and environmental audits are an innovation in the Russian economic mechanism of environmental protection.
Environmental insurance is a legal measure in the field of nature protection, which provides protection from environmental risks that could harm the insured, the insured or a third party due to excess pollution of nature.
These types are distinguished:
- liability Insurance;
- personal insurance;
- property insurance.
An environmental audit is conducted as an independent assessment of the activities of a business entity in compliance with environmental laws.
These types are distinguished:
- Mandatory, which is carried out in specific cases established by law.
- Voluntary, which is carried out at the initiative of the enterprise, which through its activity has an impact on nature.
Environmental funds
Funds created with the aim of protecting the environment serve as the financial base that may be required in solving urgent problems of nature conservation.
In Russia there are such extra-budgetary organizations:
- federal level fund;
- funds of constituent entities of the Russian Federation;
- local, regional, regional funds.
Environmental funds are formed at the expense of those funds that come from citizens, enterprises, organizations and foreign investors. All cash receipts of such funds are distributed according to the scheme:
- 60% is determined for the implementation of planned activities of local importance, for example cities or districts;
- 30% is spent on the implementation of programs of territorial significance, for example, republican or regional;
- 10% - for the implementation of measures at the federal level.
The creation of funds in the environmental sector was designed to solve such problems:
- restore the loss of the environment;
- compensate for the harm done to public health;
- start the construction of treatment facilities;
- financially ensure the holding of actions for the protection of nature and educational work.
The Funds also provide an opportunity for the development of environmental activities with the help of such tools of the economic mechanism of environmental protection:
- assistance in the formation of the initial capital of enterprises that are created with the aim of producing environmental products;
- providing guarantees to banks on loans to enterprises for the implementation of environmental protection projects.
Nature permits
In order to protect and rational use of natural resources, some levers of economic impact are legally defined.
Consider them in more detail:
- Licensing of integrated environmental management. Such a document is issued for a fixed period (1 year) and determines the owner’s rights regarding natural resources, waste disposal, discharges and emissions.
- The conclusion of an agreement on integrated environmental management, which defines the conditions and rules for the use of natural resources by an enterprise, as well as the amount of environmental payments. The document must indicate the obligations of the parties and their responsibility.
- Establishment of limits on nature use, for example, the limit on consumption of industrial water, the limit on the capture of animals. If the company exceeds the established standards, then an additional fee will be charged.
The issuance of documents is carried out by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the region on the basis of the Law under number 7-F3.
Environmental development concept
After the UN Conference in 1992, the concept of the concept of sustainable environmental development entered the global vocabulary. It presupposed the achievement of harmony between nature and man and was positioned as moving forward with the goal of maximally satisfying the needs of the current generation, while not depriving future generations of such an opportunity.
Within the framework of the Conference, the links between economics and ecology were determined:
- The relationship between environmental and economic development. When the second progress is achieved without the participation of the first, the planet will turn into a desert.
- If more attention is paid to the development of ecology without an economic focus, then this leads to poverty and injustice.
The economic mechanism of environmental protection in Russia still requires improvements and will change with the introduction of new legal norms. But we can say that the foundation for a rational, prudent and careful use of the resources of the surrounding nature has already been laid, which means that it remains to solve the accompanying environmental and economic problems.